Frank Weise
Born: 8/10/1918, Died: 1/31/2003
Brooklyn, NY native Frank Weise
(born Frank Weiss) moved with his family to Philadelphia at a young
age. After graduating from Simon Gratz High School in the city, Weise
studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. He
distinguished himself as a student, completing a B. Arch. with honors
in 1942, and winning awards in freehand drawing and a first medal from
the Beaux Arts Institute of Design his final year. After completing his
degree, he worked briefly in the office of George Howe and Louis I.
Kahn, where he contributed to several of the war housing projects in
the office. Weise went on to Harvard studying under Marcel Breuer and
Walter Gropius, completing an M. Arch. in 1945. That same year, he
studied design at the progressive and experimental Black Mountain
College, in Black Mountain, NC.After World War II, Weise was based in
Chicago, IL, working on the planning of Michael Reese Hospital under
Reginald Reginald Isaacs followed by architectural work at the office
of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
In
1949, while in the office of Loebl, Schlossman & Bennett, he worked
on the design of Park Forest, IL, a residential and commercial
development intended for returning GI's and their families.
Weise
returned to Philadelphia around 1949 and established his own office. In
the early 1960s he led a group of the city's architects in an effort to
redesign the proposed path of Interstate 95 through one of the oldest
parts of Philadelphia along the Delaware River. Weise's group succeeded
in having a portion of the highway depressed below street level,
retaining some access from the city to the riverfront.
Weise
was involved in a number of other important architectural and cultural
projects in the city. In the 1970s, Weise's projects included the
restoration and renovation of Head House Square in the Society Hill
neighborhood. In the 1980s, he worked on the question of adapting John
Haviland's landmark Eastern State Penitentiary. Weise was among the
founders of the city's Wilma Theater and the Theater of the Living Arts.
Weise
taught at a variety of institutions, including the University of
Michigan at Ann Arbor, and the Moore School of Art and the Philadelphia
Museum College of Art.
Biography from the American Architects and Buildings database Written by Emily T. Cooperman.
Frank Weise's personal residence
The
first home is Frank's personal studio/home that was a work in progress
for him over many decades. The home has recently been beautifully
restored by the architects's daughter and her husband.
Additional homes by Frank Weise
The Carner Residence 1951
The Sheppard House by Frank Weise 1950-1952
The Bernard Weise Residence (1950-51) for Frank's brother
This
stunning home has been fully restored with all new systems, and is
currently for sale. Please contact me if you are interested in seeing
this home. The steel support gives this home the appearance of a
floating 2nd floor and a glorious open feel on the lower floor. This
is one of my favorite homes in the Philadelphia area.
for information regarding purchase please go to www.1709Meadowbrook.com
kitchen by St Charles Kitchens of NYC, also used by Philip Johnson in the Glass House
Frank Weise in Collingswood N.J. 
Frank Weise, 1952, Swarthmore Pa, Eisenbud Residence
Photos below are of the Klein Residence 1952-1955 Frank Weise
The
first two photos show the home as it appeared in c1960 when the second
owners purchased the two story house, built into a hillside, with only
the upper level visible from the street. The original interior of the
house had an open floor plan with rooms separated for the most part by
movable shoji screens and partial height walls. The glazed end walls
featured Mondrian-like mullion patterns. The original roof was
designed to always hold water for insulation purposes, but the weight
proved excessive and a rubber roof was installed instead. The second
owners built a narrow roof extension on the street side of the house.
They also removed an original cantilevered deck in the 1960's when a
new house was built on an adjacent lot. In 2005, the current owners,
architect Ted Agoos and artist Elizabeth Wilson made extensive interior
and exterior renovations as well as a rooftop addition seen below.
photo credits back view summer:Erik Johnson, front view evening photo:
Robert Snow
lower 2 photos 2005
after rooftop 2005 addition by Ted Agoos
photo by Erik Johnson
evening photo by Robert Snow
Charles Oller Residence 1953-1954
3800 sq ft. house, contractor P Bernheimer the J.L. Dicktee, East Falls section of Philadelphia
additional homes by Frank Weise
Frank Weise on Valley Forge Mountain 1967
This
home is built around a stone courtyard. The stonework was designed by
Weise and it has the look of old farm buildings of Chester County found
near this home. After entering through the courtyard past the artist
studio, the walls of windows extend around the exterior of the living
spaces. Floor to ceiling glass in the living room is divided by the
grand walk through fireplace leading to an rear deck.
stone courtyard entrance
rear side view. living room on right, family room closer
walk through fireplace in living room
more classic mid-century entrance and side patio
the Modern home below was designed by Frank in the 1970s in Bucks County
greatly altered
Index to MODERN HOMES PHILADELPHIA History Pages
Overview of Philadelphia Area Mid-Century Modern Residential Architecture (below on this page) Photo overview followed by brief written overview of Philadelphia mid-century architects .
Time Line of area modern homes from 1930's to today Mid-Century Modern Homes
Architects Who Designed Mid-Century Modern Homes in the Philadelphia Region
photographs of the regional homes designed by each architect are included
